Big Ten links: Satellite camps, Connor Cook draft slide & more

According to Cleveland.com, there have been other reports that Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh would like to attend the same day, but that’s not going to happen, as entertaining as that may sound. The only way Harbaugh or his staff is permitted at a satellite camp is if they are working it, and Ohio State isn’t going to welcome them into their own event for obvious reasons.

“I think that my feeling is that it needs to be a level playing field,” Dantonio said earlier this week. “There’s a lot of things that are positive about satellite camps. There’s probably a couple negatives in there. So I think people are trying to make good decisions and try and get it so that everybody has equal opportunity and that it doesn’t just go — it just doesn’t run wild.”

My guess: I’d say to expect a 7-5/8-4 record in what shapes up as a critical Year Three for James Franklin.

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I always liked Kyle Flood. Good guy. The former Rutgers coach recently made his first media appearance (on satellite radio as a guest host) since getting fired by Rutgers. Dan Duggan of NJ.com has five takeaways from Flood’s radio segment. But, it wasn’t very revealing. This was interesting: Flood doesn’t think LB Steve Longa made a bad decision by turning pro … and then not getting drafted.

It’s always fun to read Tom Shatel of Omaha.com, who looks at some Huskers taken in the NFL draft. How about the Pats taking DT Vincent Valentine in the third round? What does Bill Belichick know that we don’t? I didn’t think Valentine—who left early—was a third-round pick.

Barnes spent four years on Ferentz’s staff in support roles before marrying the coach’s daughter and heading to Vanderbilt for three seasons, the past two as director of player personnel. He returns to Iowa City to assume a newly-created position after Kelvin Bell was promoted to a recruiting coordinator/defensive assistant role. Barnes, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa, was subject to the university’s nepotism policy, meaning he reports not to Ferentz, but to athletic director Gary Barta. (Wink, wink.)

“I enjoyed spending time with these dedicated alumni, and listening to their ideas for how to improve the University’s athletics department,” Mark Dayton said in a statement to the Pioneer Press after meeting with some football boosters. “I commend them for their continued commitment to the long-term success of Gophers sports, and to the overall well being of the University of Minnesota.

“I agree with them that the selection of an outstanding leader for the Athletic Department is of paramount importance to restoring its tattered credibility with University alumni and with the people of Minnesota.”

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Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer

About Tom Dienhart: BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, and send him questions to his weekly mailbag.